Great Basin National Park Photo Gallery

From desert basins to glaciers tenaciously clinging to the flanks of Wheeler Peak, 77,000-acre Great Basin National Park boasts elevations that range from 5,000 to 13,000 feet. This varariation creates a diverse series of backdrops for hikers, mountain bikers, anglers, and wildlife lovers.

Credit: Alaskan Dude/Flickr

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The park also boasts one of the purest night skies in the country, with nominal light pollution. Instead, thousands of stars glow bright, alongside five of our solar system's eight planets, meteors, manmade satellites, and the Milky Wayall visible with the naked eye. One of the best spots in the park to stargaze or catch Grand Basin's stunning sunsets is the Wheeler Peak/Bristlecone Trail parking lot at the end of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive.

Credit: Chris Wonderly/National Park Service

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The Bristlecone Pine Trail branches off of the Lakes Loop, and a forest of gnarly millennia-old trees lies a mile in. An interpretive trail circles the sanctuary, where these ancient beings cling to life with a precarious yet tenacious grip.

Credit: Wikimedia

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At the 10,000-foot-high campground (the highest in the state), virgin forest secludes the 40 spacious campsites at Wheeler Peak Campground. Each campsite has a table, fire pit, and grill. Wheeler Peak Trail leaves from the horse-loading area above the campground and climbs 3,000 feet in four milessteep, high, and exhilaratingto the second highest spot in the Silver State.

Credit: Kathy Billings/National Park Service

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Lehman Cavesone of the park's main attractionsis a series of richly decorated subterranean caverns. The park has more than 40 caves, eight of which are accessible with a permit. To qualify for a permit, you must prove your expertise with caving techniques and equipment.

Credit: Bowersox/National Park Service

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If you really want to push yourself and get away from the crowds, tackle the Johnson Lake Trail. This strenuous 5.6-mile (one-way) hike leads to a stunning alpine lake that's well worth the effort.